Sparta Township Raises Flag for Police Appreciation Week 2024

SPARTA, NJ – The flag honoring Police Appreciation Week is flying on the flagpoles in front of Sparta’s town hall.  All of the flags including the American flag, New Jersey state flag and POW MIA flags are lowered to half staff this week “to honor all law enforcement officers, federal, state and local, who have been killed or disabled in the line of duty” according to the New Jersey Department of State.

In accordance with the township ordinance regarding commemorative flags, the resolution for the flag to be displayed was requested by Councilman Dan Chiariello.

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The flag was donated last year by former West Orange Police sergeant Rocco Montesano and his wife Julie.  They had made the request on behalf of his father, a retired police officer and their son who is currently a police officer.  Montesano was part of the first Unity Ride in 1997.

The bike ride draws thousands of members from eight chapters nationwide to Washington DC.  There they take part in a ceremony honoring the officers who have died in the line of duty as their names are added to the memorial.

According to Chief Jeff McCarrick, the Sparta Police Department does not have any officers participating in the ride this year.

The Police Unity flag was the first commemorative flag flown after ordinance 23-03 was passed in April 2023.

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